PUEBLO WEST, CO – San Isabel Electric Association, Inc. experienced a large power outage on Saturday, April 16, 2016. The outages began at approximately 2:00 a.m. that morning. At its highest, over 2,000 Members were without power. Impacted areas consisted of Rye, Colorado City, Beulah, Wetmore, Walsenburg and La Veta. Relentless Colorado spring weather made this outage very challenging. At around 11:00 p.m. on April 17, 2016, all known outages were restored with power.
SIEA line crews began working on the outages as soon as they were dispatched. Outage numbers fluctuated throughout the day as crews worked diligently through the adverse conditions. Because of the unusual length of the outage, crews worked in shifts to keep safety a top priority. By Saturday night, more than half of Members had their power restored. The heavy snow and harsh winds slowed restoration efforts, but crews were able to have 75 percent of Members restored with power by the next day.
SIEA Chief Operations Officer, Darryl Stewart, spoke to length of time without power, “The heavy spring snow and strong winds were a major factor in the number of outages that occurred this past weekend. I appreciate the long hours worked by the SIEA line crews and the amount of positive comments received from our Members.” Line crews rotated 16 hour shifts and were even described as “24/7 super heroes.”
Members were updated throughout the day via the San Isabel Electric Facebook and the local media. These tools allow Members to stay in-the-know even when they are experiencing an outage. For updates, tips and tricks, find and “Like” San Isabel Electric on Facebook!
###
As a not-for-profit cooperative utility, San Isabel Electric Association, Inc. provides electricity to rural communities through southern Colorado. Serving nearly 19,000 Member-owners and 24,000 Members, San Isabel Electric Association has been keeping the lights on since 1938.